Electric vehicles produce zero carbon emissions, right? That’s unfortunately not true, and we need to speed up the transition to an era when it will be. The main culprit is the electricity grid where utilities scramble production from coal, natural gas, and renewables. Moreover, extracting materials for batteries still consumes a vast amount of dubious energy. That’s why electric car battery recycling makes a deal of sense.
Political Will Behind Electric Car Battery Recycling in Europe
The European government has a law that says 50% of used battery materials must go for recycling. Moreover, electric vehicle manufacturers must ensure this happens at no direct cost to the customer, according to Observer.
It is therefore unsurprising Europe has such a high electric car battery recycling rate. And that companies like Duesenfeld are making hay while the sun shines with containerized recycling plants in their sights. The project is in start-up with an alpha site in a factory in Braunschweig, Germany. However, Duesenfeld CEO Christian Hanisch has his sights on the lucrative U.S. market.
Basics Behind Duesenfeld Lithium Battery Recycling
Duesenfeld begins by discharging the batteries and using the energy to power its recycling equipment. Then it dismantles the batteries, and sends the peripherals for conventional recycling.
Next, it mechanically shreds the battery cells in a nitrogen-rich environment where they cannot catch fire. And finally it separates out the valuable residue using a combination of various physical properties. This result is a treasure chest of cobalt, copper, nickel, lithium, manganese, aluminum, graphite, and electrolyte.
“Our technology has the potential to recycle 90% of the battery materials,” CEO Christian Hanisch told Observer. We are excited to see electric car battery recycling finally coming through. That’s because it an essential component of a genuinely green economy.
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Preview Image: Lithium Battery Recycling
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